The Home that Love Built

When a terrible storm blasts through the forest, it causes chaos, destroying homes and toppling trees. Left with ruins, the animals realise that by working together they can create a new home, built with kindness and love.

Using a cumulative style similar to that of ‘This is the house that Jack Built’, ‘The Home that Love Built’ is a gorgeous book, celebrating teamwork and friendship.

The book is perfect for reading aloud, using alliteration and onomatopoeia to help build the sounds of the storm and then adding to the sense of calm in the aftermath. The illustrations are an absolute joy, full of colour and details to notice like the mother bird trying desperately to shelter her young with her wing or the mice clinging together, stranded on a rock in the water.

As the animals work together to rebuild, the cumulative style of the text really emphasises how each contributes to the whole, perfect for sparking conversations about teamwork and a combined effort can produce results which benefit a whole community rather than just an individual. Even when they think they are safe, the animals must join together to overcome another threat to their safety. No one gives up- the pictures show that everyone, great and small, does their best for the benefit of all.

Even the end papers contribute to the story! At the beginning of the book, dark clouds are forming at the edge of the picture whilst at the end the scene is sunny and bright. My favourite illustration is the final one where all the animals of the forest are gathered together, safe and happy, in their home built by love.

The Home that Love Built

Jessica Meserve

Little Tiger ISBN: 978-1838919870

You can read my review of ‘Our Tree’ here.

The Turtle Who Turned the Tide

It’s the day of the Grand Hatching and all the animals have gathered to watch the baby turtles make their way to the ocean. Tula and her brother, Tiny, are amongst them and Tula finds herself the favourite to win the race to the water. However, she suddenly realises that Tiny has gone off course. She bravely decides to turn back and find him and when they find themselves facing danger, all the animals unite to save Tula and Tiny and see them safely to the water.

Since ‘The Lion Inside’ Rachel Bright and Jim Field have been delighting readers with gorgeous stories, ringing with positive messages and joy. Like the others, ‘The Turtle Who Turned the Tide’ combines vivid engaging illustrations with a heart-warming story about the power of change and communities working together for good.

The rhyming text is an absolute joy to read aloud, rising and falling with the action of the story. Tula chooses to help her brother above winning the race, showing the importance of kindness. Her example to the other animals inspires them in turn to gather together and rally round when needed, making sure Tula and Tiny escape the jaws of Snake and happily end up in the ocean with the other baby turtles. The element of peril is very well handled with the word ‘but…’ at the bottom of the page hinting that something is going to save the siblings!

The illustrations are just wonderful, helping to immerse the reader in the story. There are many points to pause and linger over the pictures, perhaps discussing them in more detail. Children might wish to discover more about turtles, their hatching and first journey to the sea. They might enjoy making a simple origami model or a felt finger puppet of a turtle and use these to act out the story whilst reading. With older readers, the meaning of ‘turned the tide’ and how this is shown in the story would generate some interesting discussions!

Another triumph from this team!

The Turtle Who Turned the Tide

Rachel Bright, illustrated by Jim Field

Orchard ISBN: 978-1408366448

You can read my review of ‘The Pandas Who Promised’ here, The Koala Who Could here, The Squirrels Who Squabbled here, The Way Home for Wolf here and The Whale Who Wanted More here.